Sanitary pill dispenser with indicator



V 1968 J. A. FORTENBERRY 3,410,450

SANITARY PILL DISPENSER WITH INDICATOR Filed June 16, 1967 2Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1. 76.2. FIG. 5.

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BY v I Nov. 12, 1968 J. A. FORTENBERRY 3,410,450

SANITARY PILLDISPENSER WITH INDICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16,1967 FIG-11.

FIG. 9.

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. VI/ 02/1 /440 ,flll mw United States Patent i 3,410,450 SANITARY PILLDISPENSER WITH INDICATOR Jerry A. Fortenberry, 935 N. Main St.,Columbia, Miss. 39421 Filed June 16, 1967, Ser. No. 646,625 Claims. (Cl.221-7) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sanitary pill container anddispenser with indicator comprising a small fiat receptacle whoseinterior is partitioned to define a spiral chamber, a tape bearing pillsat spaced intervals disposed in said spiral chamber and having one endsecured to a spindle, an external operating knob connected to saidspindle for winding the tape to successively move the pills thereontoward a release position and a dispensing aperture, and an indicatordial operatively connected to the tape to indicate the release of eachsuccessive pill. In one embodiment, the spiral tape is provided withupstanding flaps which together with the walls of the spiral chamberdefine individual pill holding compartments along the tape. In a secondembodiment, the tape is formed of superimposed strips sealed together atspaced intervals to define pill holding compartments between the strips,and the pills are released by separating the strips by operation of theexternal knob.

This invention relates to a pill dispenser and in particular to a pilldispenser having means for indicating the removal of each pill, thepills being retained in a sanitary manner within the dispenser on aspiral tape.

The term pill as used herein is defined as including tablets, lozenges,capsules, and all medications in solid capsulated form.

Conventionally, solid form medications are packaged in bottles, orcontainers, which provide no indication as to when the medication waslast taken and when it should be taken again. Nor do such containerspermit the removal of a single or prescribed number of pills withoutdanger of contaminating the remaining pills in the container.Furthermore, such containers are usually bulky and unsuitable forcarrying on the person of the user.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a pilldispenser which will obviate the above briefly outlined disadvantages ofconventional pill containers and dispensers.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a pill dispenserin the form of a small flat container which may be readily carriedbecause of its convenient shape and small volume, and which contains asuitable number of pills to last for at least a week, and preferablylonger, said pills being carried by a spiral tape in a sanitary, sealedmanner within the container, and means being provided for releasing anddispensing one, or a prescribed number, of the pills at indicated timeintervals.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a pillcontainer, having the above described characteristics, whichincorporates an indicator dial to signal the release of each pill andalso when the prescribed interval will elapse before the next pillshould be taken.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pill dispenser, havingthe above described characteristics, in which each capsule, tablet orpill is sealed within a plastic ribbon formed of a double layer, meansbeing provided for separating the layers to release the capsules inspecified quantity while the remaining pills are retained between thelayers, in sanitary condition, and without danger ice of contact by theusers hands, both the dispenser housing and ribbon providing protectionagainst entrance of moisture, bcateria or fungi that may be present inthe atmosphere.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pill dispenser,having the above described characteristics, in which the supply of pillsmay be renewed by opening the two-part container, removing the originalpill-carrying plastic ribbon, and refilling the container with a spiralribbon having a new supply of pills.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a pill dispenser,having the above described characteristics, in which the indicator forrevealing the time a pill was last dispensed and the time for dispensingand taking the next pill is operatively connected to the pill-carryingtape to move automatically in proper ratio therewith so as to accuratelymeasure the linear tape movement required to dispense one or aprescribed number of pills.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pill dispenser,having the above described characteristics, which is of simpleconstruction, easy and economical to fabricate, and easy to use.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention,itself, however, both as to its organization and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbest be understood from the folowing description of specific embodimentswhen read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figuresand in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pill dispenser with indicator according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the pill dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the pill dispenser with the cover removed andthe dispensing opening closure shown in section;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 44 of FIG. 1 and looking inthe direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view showing a portion of thepill-carrying tape and its take-up spindle, the operating knob andindicator dial associated there- With being shown in section;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5, looking inthe direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing a modification of the operatorknob and indicator dial;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged elevation similar to FIG. 5, but showing themodification of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of another embodiment of the pill dispenser;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the dispenser of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of FIG. 9 with the cover and associated elementsremoved;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line 1212 of FIG. 9 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 12 looking inthe direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 14 is a plan view partially broken away of the pill-carrying tapeonly as utilized in the FIG. 9 embodiment.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 comprises a pill dispenser generally indicatedat 10 formed of a base 12 and a cover 14 having upstanding rims 16, 18respectively, which are partially nested and separably interengaged by aperipheral tongue 20 on the cover fitting in a complementary groove 22of the base, to define a shallow enclosure. The base and cover arepreferably formed of plastic, but may be formed of metal, or othersuitable material, having sufficient resiliency to enable the slightdeformation necessary to fasten or unfasten the parts by means of saidinterengaging tongue and groove. Both the base and cover have fiat sides24, 26 generally of disc shape, and one of said members, the base asillustrated, is provided with an upstanding partition wall 28 whichextends to the inner surface of the flat cover and forms a spiralcompartment 30 within the casing enclosure. The disc-like, fiat walls24, 26 of the base and cover are extended downwardly to form rectangularcontinuations 32, 34 and the base is provided with another partitionwall 36 so as to form in the lower part of the enclosure 2. take-upcompartment 38 and a release compartment 40, the first being of suitablesize to receive the full length of a pill-carrying tape to be described,and the second defining a chamber to receive a pill released from thetape at a release position 42 thereabove. A dispensing opening 44 isprovided in each of the base and cover portions 32, 34, and this isclosed by a scoop-shaped closure 46 hinged at 48.

A tape 50 formed of any suitable plastic material is disposed within thespiral compartment 30 formed by the partition wall 28, the tape being ofa width slightly less than the distance between the flat walls of thebase and cover, and lying along the partition wall in convolutionsextending from a central point to the take-up chamber 38. The tape isprovided with longitudinally spaced feed apertures 52, preferably alongboth sides, and has a plurality of longitudinally spaced, preferablyintegral, upstanding flaps 54 extending from the tape a distance nearlyequal to the distance between the convolutions of said spiral partitionwall 28. Thus, the tape together with each pair of adjacent flaps formthree walls for each of a series of pill-holding compartments 56, theother three walls of each compartment being formed by the spiralpartition wall 28 and the flat sides 24, 26 of the base and cover. Pillsloosely seated in the compartment 56 are shown in broken lines at 58,FIGS. 3 and 5.

A take-up spindle 60 is journaled in apertures in the opposed sidewallsof the base and cover so as to be re volvable centrally in the take-upchamber 38. Near the journals and within the container the spindle isprovided with sprocket teeth 62 which fiit in the feed apertures 52 ofthe tape to guide and move the tape as it is being Wound on the spindle.A slot 64 is provided in the spindle to frictionally receive the outerend of the tape for fastening the tape thereto. Prior to fastening, thetape is guided over a rod 66 integrally formed on the base and whichensures that the tape will register its feed apertures with the sprocketteeth 68 on a second spindle 70 which is journaled across the interiorof the container 10 at the entrance to the take-up chamber 38. Saidsecond spindle protrudes through the cover where it is secured to a gear72 meshing with the integral ring gear 74 of an indicator dial 76. Thetake-up spindle 60 also protrudes through the cover 14, and has twospiral spring arms 78, which are outwardly crooked and lockingly seatedin a pair of internal key grooves in the knob 80. Manual turning of theknob will thus turn the take-up spindle and wind the tape.

The indicator dial 76 is formed with a central aperture 82 which isjournaled on the inner portion of the knob 84 behind flange 86 andpermits the dial to rotate independently of the knob through turningmovements imparted by the indicator spindle 70. On the face of theindicator dial are a plurality of indioia 88, those illustratedrepresenting the days of the week, however, it will be understood thatother periods of time such as hours, may equally well be used.

As the tape 50 extends over the release chamber 40 just prior toentering the take-up chamber, the rims 16, 18 of the base and cover areomitted adjacent the dispensing opening 44, so that pills in the tapecompartments 58 are free to fall into the release chamber. This area,therefore, represents a release position 42 toward which the entirelength of tape moves as it is being wound on the take-up spindle. Pillsmay be removed from the release chamber through the dispensing aperture44, which is normally closed by the cover 46 which is shaped to conformto and surround the walls of the release chamber 40. The closure'46 ishinged on pin 48 so that it may be swung from its closed conditionillustrated in FIG. 1, to its open condition illustrated in broken linesin FIG. 3.

The use and operation of the device described above is clarified asfollows. It is contemplated that drug firms manufacturing the medicationwould package the pills in the described container, it being necessarymerely to order the container in two parts and the tape of properlength, assemble the tape in the base of the container, and load thepills into the separate compartments 56, thereafter applying the coverto close the container. The packaged pills would then be made availablefor sale through retailers to prospective purchasers. Alternatively, adruggist, in filling a prescription and having the empty containers onhand already loaded with the tape, would merely separate the casingparts, place the prescribed number of pills in the compartments, closethe cover, and deliver the package to the purchaser.

In using the device the purchaser merely turns the knob until theindicator dial moves from one indicating letter to the next letter asmeasured against the index 90, which means that the tape has moved thelength of one compartment 56 and has released a pill therein into thereceiving chamber 40 where it is seated in the scoopshaped closure 46.The user then presses against the tip 92 of the closure to pivot thesame away from the container which will deposit the pill from theclosure into his hand ready to take. The container may then be placedaside until the prescribed time interval has passed when the next pillis to be 'taken which, in the illustrated 'example, is the next day, atwhich time the knob 80 is again moved and the process repeated forreleasing a single pill from the tape and the container. This process isrepeated until the container is empty at which time the same containermay be refilled by prescription, or another container with the samemedication may be purchased.

It will be noted that as the tape is wound on the takeup spindle 60, thesuccessive flaps 54 will bend and become incorporated between tapelayers on the spindle. The winding diameter will thus gradually increaseso that the angular rotation of the knob 80 necessary to release one ormore pills in one compartment 56 will decrease as the pills aresuccessively released from the tape compartments. However, since theindicator dial through gearing 72, 74 turns directly in proportion tothe lineal movement of the tape, the spacing of sprocket teeth 68 beingequal to the spacing between tape feed apertures 52, the user may beguided by the angular movement of the indicator dial to determine when aproper dosage is released.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a modified version of the control knob andindicator dial in which the latter is spaced from the former, ratherthan being journaled on the same. In this modification the dial 76' is asimple disc fixed to the spindle 70 and the control knob 80' isshortened and secured to the take-up spindle 60, leaving a space 94between its inner surface and the cover wall 26. Thus, a gearingconnection between the second spindle and the indicator dial isunnecessary, and rotation of the control knob will still turn theindicator dial by reason of the engagement of the sprocket teeth 68 withthe feed apertures of the moving tape.

A preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 9-14 issimilar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 16, except as explainedhereinafter. The container 10 is again formed of a rimmed base member12' and a rimmed cover 14' both of which are rectangular rather thancircular in shape. The cover and base are held to gether byinterengagement of the tongue and groove 22' extending completely aroundtheir rim peripheries. The base is provided with the spiral partition 28integrally molded thereto just as in the previously describedembodiment, but disposed in the compartment formed thereby is adifferent tape 50 composed of two superimposed strips 96, 98 best shownin FIG. 14. The two plastic strips are heat fused or otherwise adheredtogether along spaced transverse lines indicated at 100 to form a seriesof compartments 102 between the strips in which the pills 56 arefrictionally retained. If desired, the side edges of both stripsoutside, or inside the feed apertures 52 may also be adhered together tocompletely seal each compartment. However, this is not essential as onceloaded between the strips the pills are retained therein by the pressureof the overlying strips and when the tape is placed in the spiralcompartment 30, and the cover applied to the base, it is impossible forthe pills to fall out of their separate tape compartments.

At its outer end the tape 50is separated into its two component strips,each being guided against and between a pair of rigid circular posts 103molded to the base member and then threaded in the slots 64 of a pair oftakeup spindles 60 identical with spindle 60 of FIG. 5. The forkedspring clamps 78 of the take-up spindles are keyed in receiving slots inthe bores of a pair of pinion gears 104 which mesh with a ring gear 106on the internal surface of the control knob 80". The control knob,itself, is keyed at 78 to a stub shaft 108 which is journaled to rotatein an aperture 110 in the cover 14'. The stub shaft is retained inproper axial location with respect to the cover by flange 112 seatedagainst the undersurface ofthe cover and a split washer 114 carried in agroove on the shaft and seated on the upper surface of the cover.

It will be apparent from FIG. 13 that rotation of the knob 80" in onedirection will rotate both pinion gears 104 in the same direction andaccordingly, both take-up spindles 60 will be rotated to wind theseparate strips 96, 98 thereon. Such winding action succesively opensthe compartments 102 of tape 50 by breaking the ad hesions at thetransverse portions 100 of the double tape, and successively releases apill from each compartment at the release position 42 between posts 104,FIG. 11. The released pills fall by gravity into a receiving chamber 40defined by the base and the cover between the pair of walls 116integrally formed on the base. An access or dispensing opening 44' isprovided in the cover through which the' pills released from the tapeinto the receiving chamber can be removed from the con tainer.

The indicating spindle 70 and indicating dial 76 are positioned slightlyabove the guide rods 116 and away from the control knob 80" andaccordingly, these indicating elements may be identical with thecorresponding elements illustrated in FIG. 7.

It will be apparent that the embodiment of FIGS. 9-14 is operated inexactly the same manner as the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6. To dispense apill, knob 80 is turned until the indicator dial 76 indexes to the nextindicated time for taking a pill. Turning of said knob serves to windthe two strips of the double tape separately on the pair of take-upspindles and to thereby successively open each pill-holding compartmentin the tape.

It is contemplated in carrying out the invention, that the pill-carryingtapes, and for that matter the plastic casings housing the tapes, maywell be color coded to identify the type of drug, or pill, carriedtherein, for example; red for heart medicine, yellow for diabetic pills,etc. By adoption of a uniform color code the contents of the tapes anddispenser casings may be more readily identified, thereby increasing theefficiency and utility of the described invention.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shownand described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof arepossible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted exceptinsofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pill dispensing container comprising a base member and a covermember each having an upstanding rim with separable interengaging meanssecuring said members together to define a shallow enclosure, one ofsaid members having an upstanding partition Wall defining a spiralcompartment within the enclosure, a pill-carrying strip of flexible tapedisposed along said spiral compartment, said tape having longitudinallyspaced tape feed apertures, means on said tape for holding a pluralityof pills in spaced relation until the tape is moved to align a pill witha release position, a take-up spindle within said housing, one end ofsaid tape being engaged on said take-up spindle, an external manipulatormeans connected to said spindle for winding the tape on the spindle, anda dispensing opening in one of said members for passage of a pill fromthe container when released from the tape by winding thereof past saidrelease position.

2. A pill container according to claim 1 in combination with anindicator, said indicator comprising a second spindle journaled torevolve within said housing and having spaced sprocket teeth engagingsaid tape feed apertures, a gear secured to said second spindle and adial bearing indicia moved by said gear in accordance with the windingmotion of said tape.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said manipulator meanscomprises a knob, said dial being centrally apertured to receive aninner portion of said knob as a journal, and said dial having peripheralinternally directed, ring teeth engaged by said gear.

4. A pill container according to claim 1 wherein said tape comprises apair of superimposed strips adhered to one another at spaced transverseportions thereof to define separate pill-holding compartments, saidstrips at said one end of said tape being individually secured to a pairof take-up spindles, and said manipulator means being operativelyconnected to move both spindles thereby separating the two strips torelease pills from said pillholding compartments.

5. A pill container according to claim 4 wherein each of said pair oftake-up spindles has a portion protruding outside the housing and towhich is secured a gear, said manipulator means being a knob having acircular flange surrounding said pair of gears whose inner surface isprovided with teeth meshing with said gears, whereby turning of the knobwill turn both of said pair of spindles simultaneously to separate thetape strips.

6. A pill container according to claim 1 wherein a cover for saiddispensing opening is provided outside said container and pivotedthereto, said cover being swingable from a position closing thedispensing opening to a position yielding access to the dispensingopening for removing a pill therethrough.

7. A pill container according to claim 1 wherein said means on said tapefor holding a plurality of pills comprises a series of longitudinallyspaced transverse flaps on said tape and upstanding therefrom.

8. A pill container according to claim 7 wherein said flaps on said tapecooperate with said spiral partition wall and said base and covermembers to define a spirally disposed series of pill-holdingcompartments each having six walls for completely enclosing a pill.

9. A pill container according to claim 1 wherein said base and covermembers are flat, one of said members having an upstanding barrier Walldividing the enclosure portion other than the spiral compartment into atape receiving compartment housing the take-up spindle and an adjacentpill receiving chamber.

10. A pill container according to claim 9 wherein said spiralcompartment terminates near the upper end of said 7 8 pill receivingcompartment at a point constituting said re- 2,261,910 11/1941 Wright221-75 lease position, and said tape passes said release point and3,047,347 7/1962 Groves 221-7 over said pill receiving compartment tothe take-up 3,227,127 1/ 1966 Gayle 221-2 spindle in said tape receivingcompartment. 3,367,535 2/ 1968 Tanguay 22171 5 References Cited FOREIGNPATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 337,829 12/1903 France.

1,240,526 9/1917 Ziebarth 221 7 2,139,886 12/1938 Drachenberg 221 2WALTER Examme"

